


Alicia's Hoodie

by helbrosi



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 08:17:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9063859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helbrosi/pseuds/helbrosi
Summary: Bob's been staring at Alicia's maroon hoodie for years. This is nothing but fluff and revolves around the one hoodie that Bob never understood, but pretty soon, couldn't live without.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [psocoptera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/psocoptera/gifts).



When Alicia opened her door on their Real Official First Date, Bob blinked. There she stood, this gorgeous model-slash-starlet, smiling serenely dressed in a maroon, over-sized hoodie and grey sweatpants.

Now, they had agreed to have their date in private for obvious (damn paparazzi) reasons, but Bob had put in effort. He almost called in his stylist in a last-minute push to impress and had decided against it. So, there he stood outside her New York apartment with a blank face and dressed in a dark shirt and his best jacket with the shoulder pads, and stared. “Uh–”

“Hey,” she said, “you’re right on time.” She smiled serenely and stepped back, allowing him room to pass through.

  _Pull it together_ , Bob thought as he crossed the threshold. He turned to face Alicia as she closed the door and held up the plastic bag he’d been clutching. “I brought pad thai and curry from a place my friend recommended.”

 Alicia reached for the bag, shoving up the hoodie’s sleeves to her elbows. She opened it, lifting it close to take a good sniff. “Mmm, smells great. I’ll get us some plates.” She moved past him into her kitchen. “Make yourself comfy,” she called out. “I’ll only be a minute.”

Bob exhaled, totally not nervous at all. He and Alica had run into each other on accident a couple times (three, if he was counting) at various publicity events, and then a couple times more (four) on purpose. It had been slow, and very public, and drove Bob to pieces, both because he had to feign interest in every pretty girl his publicist had stuck on his arm, and he had to watch Alicia drape herself over a parade of charmingly handsome men.

But he was the one sitting on Alicia’s couch, waiting for dinner, and not freaking out at all.

Suddenly he felt a nudge on his shoulder and jumped, turning around.

Alicia was smiling again, plates in hand. “Here, take yours,” she said, laughter just below the surface of her voice.

Bob took it and watched her come sit next to him, losing time – and his nerves – in their easy conversation. Her laugh, which was coaxed out after a bottle of wine, was small but deep, and he’d never admit it, but every time he heard it, he managed to feel just a little less mortal. He stood up to clear their plates after they finished, and figured it a win when she only protested a little.

He glanced at the clock on her microwave and cursed quietly. “I have to go soon,” he called from the sink. “Early practice tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

He sighed and went back to the living room, leaning his shoulder on the door jamb. He smiled. “I had a great time though, and I – I wish I could stay longer.”

She smiled serenely again. “I get it, work is work. I’ve had to get up at four AM before for a shoot.”

He cleared his throat. “Can I – can we do this again?”

She laughed again, and nodded. “One condition.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

She stood up and walked over. “Don’t you dare kiss and tell, Mister ‘Bad Bob.”

“Wha–” and he promptly shut up because she was kissing him softly. He put a hand to her upper arm and the other on her waist, holding but not pushing. When she leaned back, Bob opened his eyes to a soft chuckle. “What?”

Her blue eyes sparkled, and he was transfixed. “You’re blushing.”

“Of course I am, you just kissed me.” And damn, _did_ she. He ran the thumb on her waist over the fabric of the hoodie, almost surprised at how soft it was. But underneath it was her skin and he was here already, so he thought, _Fuck it_. “Can – I ask you something odd?”

“Shoot.”

He cleared his throat. “Why the hobo get-up?”

“This?” She tugged at the hoodie near her chest. “It’s comfy.”

“So, not going for the inconspicuous look, eh?”

Alicia snorted. “You’re going to think I’m weird, but I actually hate fashion.”

Bob blinked. “Come again?”

She shrugged. “I really do. I mean, I know I get _paid_ for it, and I’m where I am because of it,” she stepped back, crossing her arms, “but I live it enough already. It’s practically my entire life, but I’m more than just what I’m wearing.” The last part was spoken to the floor, her blonde hair falling over her face.

Bob raised a hand. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything. I get it. And,” he stepped closer to her, “thank you for sharing that part of you with me.”

When she looked up again, it was with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes, and Bob would freely admit later that was when he first felt weak in the knees staring at her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Alicia?” he called into the dark apartment. He had just come from practice and planned to spend the night at her apartment. He toed off his shoes as he turned on the front hall light, only to see a pair of heels thrown on the ground haphazardly. That only happened when she had just rushed home, but if all the lights were off, something was wrong.

“Alicia?” he called out again, more seriously. He dropped his overnight bag down on the ground and started checking rooms. Living room was empty, kitchen was empty, bathroom was empty, but her bedroom– “Alicia?!” he called.

And there she was, lying fully clothed on the bed and clutching – was that a hoodie?

“Oh, _mon chou_ , what’s wrong?”

“B-bob?” She sniffled from the bed, lifting her head up out of the hoodie and reaching toward him. “Bobby, it’s–”

He dropped on the bed next to her and pulled her close, letting her tuck her face against his shoulder. He kissed her temple and stroked her hair.

“Its – my mom,” she croaked. “She – dad said she had – had a – a heart–” then she devolved into sobs again, pressing closer.

Bob swallowed, remembering how Alicia’s mom had waved off the doctor’s warnings when they were over for Christmas. _Tabarnac_. “Are you going there?”

Alicia just nodded once, crying harder.

Bob thought for a moment, but realized it wasn’t even a choice. He kept holding her until her sobbing quieted to a small shake of her shoulders, then rubbed her back and leaned over to her ear. “I’m going to make a few calls, but I’m coming with you.” Bob paused to see if she would protest, but there was nothing, and honestly that worried him even more. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning, but I’ll get it together. You want something specific, tell me and I’ll pack it. Comprenez vous?” 

Alicia paused, and nodded. Her French was started to get a bit better. “Oui,” she mumbled back, and God, Bob would move mountains for her.

“I’m going to get up, but I’ll be here the whole time, okay? I’m not leaving.”

She nodded again and loosened her grip on him.

Bob managed to get himself up out of bed and watched Alicia curl up again, reaching for a hoodie he had left behind last time he was in New York and using it as a pillow. Then he had an idea, and crossed over to her closet, pulling out Alicia’s favorite soft hoodie from college and a pair of sweat pants. Then he crossed back to the bed and lay them down next to her. “ _Mon chou_ , change into this if you can. Or I can help you, but it’ll help.” God, it had better.

She didn’t move to get up, but she did close her hand over the hoodie, so Bob figured that was success enough for his hovering.

Then he stepped out and into the kitchen with a grimace on his face, reaching for the telephone. It wasn’t until nearly two hours later when everything had been settled and arrangements made. He’d even ordered delivery in case she got hungry, but also so he could keep on plan (mostly). When he went back to the bedroom, he saw Alicia wearing the hoodie and sweatpants, but still having her face buried in his forgotten hoodie, and he was only one man. It was easy to slide in behind her and bury his face into her cotton clad back, clutching her close to him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Bob walked into their darkened bedroom in the house, it almost didn’t feel like home. He turned on the light and strode over to the huge closest, pulling out the nearest duffel he could find. He pulled clothes off his hangers and shoved them into the duffel without great efficiency, getting angrier when they slipped out of the bag and fell onto the ground. Eventually, Bob was so upset he threw the duffel to the carpeting and fell on his knees himself, hands pressed to his eyes to stop the tears.

He’d nearly lost his only son. His Jack, his treasure. He felt like a failure of a parent.

But if he felt awful, he couldn’t begin to understand what Jack felt.

After Bob had gotten himself together again ( _dammit Bob)_ , he looked up to the other side of the room. The maroon Samwell hoodie caught his eye again, and he reached for instantly, pressing it to his face. It smelled like her, like she was there holding him instead of the hand of their unconscious son.

Then he took the hoodie, dumped out what was in the duffle already, and gathered a few other hoodies and pants for both of them. He nearly put the Samwell hoodie on top, until he remembered he needed to still pack up clothes for Jack. _Tabarnac_.

The hoodie remained draped around his neck for strength. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He found Alicia cradling the phone in her arms like a babe and sitting in their living room. He chuckled as he entered. “Still can’t believe it?”

Alicia looked up, tears still running down her face and shook her head. “He sounded so _happy_ Bobby.”

Bob smiled wide, kneeling next to his wife’s armrest. “I know, _mon chou_. Scared, but happy.” He nudged her knee. “I know how he feels.”

Alicia snorted. “Telling your parents you had proposed is nothing like Jack’s coming out.” She sighed dreamily. “He _told_ us, Bobby!”

He chuckled. “No, it’s not the same at all, because I knew they were going to love you anyway, and I knew I wanted to marry you long before I asked, and I knew you were going to take the world by storm without my help.”

She laughed at that. “Well when you put it like that.” She sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “You think – he’ll propose?” she nearly whispered.

“Who knows. Jack is smitten, and I know our boy.” He smiled at his wife. “I’m so proud of him, Alicia.”

“Me too.” She shifted to look at him. “Can…can we invite him to Christmas?”

“Who, Jack? I was assuming he had already been invited.”

Alicia scoffed. “You know I meant Eric.”

Bob winked, sitting down on the floor near his wife’s feet. “Hmm…one condition.”

She raised her eyebrow.

“I need a Samwell hoodie. You all have them now except for me.”

Alicia shook her head with a grin and slid down from the chair into Bob’s lap.

He leaned down to her shoulder and pressed his face into the maroon fabric. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I enjoyed writing this. If you have any comments, I would love them. Merry Christmas!


End file.
